Hoshi
by cassianaswindell123
Summary: If Hide was the sun, a bright warm constant, and Kaneki was the moon, borrowing the light of others and concealing a dark side, then she was the stars, their guide, shining brightest in the darkness, not always visible, but always present. She was their Hoshi.
1. Prologue-Phoenix

Author's Note: I will try to update this story at least once a week, and will gladly receive any and all reviews, I merely ask that you refrain from cussing in the reviews. Thank you!

P.S. I refer to Kaneki's mother as Kaneki-san, since Kaneki is their last name. If there isn't a –san tacked onto the Kaneki, I am referring to Kaneki Ken.

P.P.S. I went back and rewrote this, and some of the chapters after it, so they're less… runny. Enjoy!

Prologue: Phoenix

A small girl, her mane of silver hair pulled into a messy ponytail and her grief filled eyes overflowing with tears, ran and ran and ran. She ran until she couldn't see Death anymore. And she kept running, until her small form collapsed to the ground in exhaustion and sorrow. The girl curled into a fetal position, trying to fight off the waves of memories from earlier that day.

Flashback

Aelin tightly gripped her Mama's hand, dragging the woman behind her as she barged into the bookstore. With a joyous expression on her face, she raced past the colorful children's books, instead skipping to the "grown-up section". Too impatient to wait for her Mama to catch up, she climbed the shelves herself to grab the books she wanted. By the time Aelin's Mama was at her side, the child's arms were full of books, ranging in topic from martial arts handbooks to suspense filled mysteries. Her Mama took on a wistful expression as the girl struggling to balance the pile of books, and with a chuckle she relieved the overburdened child of the stack. The two made their way up to the register, had a good laugh at the cashier's bewildered expression as he realized the novels were for the six-year-old, and began to return to their home once more.

Her Mama first noticed something wrong when she saw smoke in the distance. Dismissing it as coincidence that the flames were in their neighborhood, her Mama ignored them and continued until it was obvious that the inferno was their home. They reached their yard just in time to see Death stab her Daddy. Her Mama stiffened, shouting at Aelin to run. Doing so, Aelin glanced behind her as she finally reached the end of the street, only to see her Mama crumple to the ground to join Daddy. Death looked at her with a blank face and quickly strode towards her, rapidly closing the distance between them. Aelin's eyes widened in fear, and she turned and fled from the approaching reaper.

Flashback End

Trembling, she forced herself to her feet once more and unsteadily took off, tearing herself away from the smell of home. After all, it was gone now. Fire ate her house and Death stole her Mama and Daddy. Glancing over her shoulder, she didn't notice until too late that she ran straight into someone, crashing clumsily to the ground. Looking at the person in front of her, she scooted back in shock, wary of the stranger. He had blonde hair with brown roots and big brown eyes, and looked her age. Preparing to flee once more, she was surprised when the boy held out a hand to her, but hesitantly accepted the help.

As she got to her feet, the boy beamed at her and cheerfully introduced himself. "Hi, I'm Nagachika Hideyoshi, but everyone calls me Hide. What's your name?"

The girl hesitated, chewing anxiously on her bottom lip, then mumbled out, "I'm Aelin. But I go by Alli-chan."

With a bright smile, the newly dubbed Hide chattered excitedly to Aelin, while she trailed cautiously after him.

After what felt like forever, the talkative blonde stopped in front of a run-down house. Seeing the quizzical glance Alli-chan sent him, he rapidly explained.

"This is my best friend Kaneki's house! His mom helps everyone, so I'm sure she'll help you out too!"

Hide began thumping on the door, all the while yelling for "Kaneki" at the top of his lungs. Footsteps echoed on the other side of the door, and behind it stood a woman and a boy with black hair. The woman looked confused as Hide spewed information too quickly for Aelin to catch, then made a face of understanding as she ushered the two children inside. The black haired boy hid quietly behind his mother, though he seemed to relax a bit when Hide rushed up and embraced him. It seemed that the two were close, and Aelin's guess was soon proved correct as Hide introduced the other boy as Kaneki Ken, his best friend.

The woman walked up to Aelin and in fear the girl squeezed her eyes shut and hunched her shoulders, believing the woman intended to harm her, but against expectations the woman simply felt her forehead. Satisfied that the child didn't have a fever, Kaneki-san ushered the girl into the shower, leaving a pair of Kaneki's clothes roughly in Aelin's size outside the door.

Finally cleaned up, Aelin left the bathroom to find Hide. Not immediately seeing the rambunctious blonde, Aelin burst into tears once more, flinching away from Kaneki-san's attempts to comfort her. Aelin only dried her eyes when she saw Hide rush towards her, Kaneki awkwardly following behind. A fragile smile blossomed on her face as she watched Kaneki trail Hide everywhere like a little duckling, and Aelin's eyes lit up as she released silent giggles at the thought. Despite everything, Aelin decided, she just might be okay.


	2. Chapter 1-Kaneki's Ghoulfriend

Author's Note: Here is the second chapter of my story, enjoy!

Chapter 1: Kaneki's Ghoulfriend

"Sigh~". "Huff". "Kaneki". "KANEKI!" The irritated girl sputtered, ignoring the looks she received in favor of glaring at the bookworm before her, finally acknowledging her and Hide's presence. With a sheepish smile, the teenager rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly while putting away his book, eyes avoiding the curious glances directed toward his table. Kaneki blushed at the attention drawn to him, and gave a half-hearted frown at Alli-chan.

"Was that really necessary, Alli-chan?" Kaneki asked, but winced at the scathing look she gave him in return.

"I come to spend time with my best friends… AND YOU CHOSE FREAKKIN' DEPRESSING NOVELS OVER ME!" Alli-chan screeched, her fists clenched in annoyance. Hide took that moment to speak up.

"So Kaneki, where's the hot chick you wanted to show me?" Hide's mouth curled into a smirk as he saw Alli-chan stiffen, fixing Kaneki with a deadpan stare.

"A girl. You dragged me here for a girl." Kaneki, seeing the mutiny in Alli-chan's eyes, shifted uncomfortably in his seat while stuttering out excuses. Aelin finally released Kaneki from her icy glare to scold Hide as he flirted with a timid purple-haired waitress.

The bickering teens eventually redirected their attention back to Kaneki, who seemed to be sending a wide-eyed gaze to the entrance of Anteiku, and the teens looked over their shoulders to see the object of their bookworm's infatuation. Alli-chan scoffed upon seeing the voluptuous woman, and the snark began.

"Don't even, Kaneki", Alli-chan began, a scowl across her face.

The boy in question blinked in confusion, but as he opened his mouth, his friend continued.

"She looks like quite the man-eater, not to mention she obviously over-indulges in food."

Kaneki, baffled at his friend's cruelty, rose to the defense of his crush, and narrowed his eyes in annoyance at Alli-chan as she growled angrily under her breath and stormed out.

Alli-chan's POV:

That moron! He's going to get himself killed! Ugh, some days I wonder why I even try. Honestly, who knows how many times he would have been eaten without me. Still, I have to do something... Wait, that's it! It's perfect. Both to keep him safe, and get payback for him dragging me out to oggle some top heavy vixen at the same time! Heh… he's going to hate me.

With a wicked smirk, Aelin pulled out her phone and texted Hide, curious as to whether Kaneki got the date. Surprise, Surprise, he did, since there was no way miss Binge Eater would turn down a free meal. Snorting at her naive friend, she grinned while dialing Kaneki.

*ring*

*ring*

*ri~*

Aelin smiled as the dork picked up, amused, though not surprised, that he had already forgiven her blasé comments.

'Yes, Alli-chan?' rang through the phone, and with a mischievous glint in her eyes, she began her act.

"So, Kaneki, you got the date?"

Kaneki gave a confirming hum, and she continued.

"Well, make sure not to go in any dark alleys with her! And no staring at her boobs! Also, don't forget condoms! It's OK to say no! Watch out for STD's! Keep your hands to yourself! And tell me if you top, cause-"

Aeilin broke into chuckles as she heard Kaneki hurriedly hang up the phone, stuttering incoherently. That call would both embarrass him to the high heavens, and make sure that he wouldn't go in any secluded areas with the Binge Eater, in fear of Alli-chan's feminine wrath. It was lovely when everything worked out.


	3. Chapter 2-This Really Bites

Author's Note: A great big thank you to all my readers, please enjoy!

Chapter Three-This Really Bites

Kaneki's POV:

Laughingly, Kaneki told Rize-san about his times with Hide and Alli-chan. The woman gave a simpering smile to him, and his face flushed crimson at her attention. Giving a quick look at his surroundings, his eyes widened in fear upon realizing he was alone with the lady in an empty alleyway. He cringed, knowing Aelin would make him regret being a gentleman and walking Rize-san home, but decided to disregard her advice anyway. As the couple turned the corner, Kaneki faltered as his phone began to buzz. Eyebrows dipped in confusion, he apologized to Rize-san and held the phone to his ear.

Kaneki heard even breathing on the other end of the line, then shook his head in amusement at the voice that came though.

"Tsup Kaneki! So, you back yet? I went by the Big Girl and got you some fries! You had a burger, but… I kinda already ate it. Anyway, Mind if I come over to your place?" Alli-chan excitedly chattered to her friend.

Kaneki winced, bracing himself for the upcoming onslaught of rage, and spoke up.

"Actually Alli-chan, it has to wait. I'm walking Rize-san to her house right now. She was worried because of the ghoul attacks lately in her neighborhood, and-"

"WHAT?"

Kaneki repeated himself in a mumble, terrified of the fury that would likely be directed towards him.

The phone was silent for a few agonizing seconds, until her voice came through, emotionless and full of ice.

"Are you in a secluded area?"

Kaneki huffed at the girl's one track mind, but responded.

"Well, yes, but you know I wouldn't have… you know… with someone, especially on a first date, so there's no need to worry Alli-chan-"

He cut himself off upon hearing uneven gasps from the other end. Was… was Alli-chan having a panic attack? She hadn't had one in forever, so what could be so upsetting that it would set her off?

"A-Alli-chan, are you-"

"Idiot. IDIOT! I WASN'T WORRIED ABOUT YOU GETTING LAID! RUN! SHE'S A FREAKING GHOUL YOU MORO-"

Kaneki inhaled sharply, looking at the impaled phone in his hand. His eyes followed the ruby spike speared through the phone, and the boy trembled, seeing the appendage coming from Rize-san, her eyes cold obsidian with blood-red veins throughout.

Stumbling backwards, the teen tried to flee, but froze in pain, and looked down. He gaped in horror at the tentacle protruding through his stomach, screaming in pain as the ghoul dragged him back to her. He vaguely heard Rize-san speaking, but couldn't process anything. He was finally blessed with unconsciousness, and as his eyes rolled back into his head, he glimpsed steel beams crashing towards his assailant.


	4. Chapter 3-Unraveling

A/N: Thank you guys so much for reading my story! It means a lot to me! If you have any ideas on where the story should go, just PM me, or review! Also, let me know if I leave any plot-holes, or if there are any mistakes in my writing. The plot from here on out won't be as lighthearted, due to the fact that Tokyo ghoul _is_ a tragedy, and the story is finally rolling. Oh, and because I forgot to in the previous chapters, I do not own Tokyo Ghoul (obviously).

Chapter 3–Unraveling

Aelin strode down the pristine hospital corridors and entered Kaneki's room. Inhaling deeply, she searched for the reassurance of her friend's scent, the telltale smell of musty books and caramel coffee. However, in its place she found the sickening aroma of ghoul, along with the copper tang of blood and floral feminine perfume. Rize-san's odor had doused Kaneki, only faint remains of his own scent lingering. Aelin fixed a displeased scowl upon her face, but ignored her nose and resigned herself to pacing along Kaneki's bedside, hoping he would finally awaken. Though logically the teen knew it would be at the bare minimum a few more days, as Kaneki wouldn't bounce back as quickly as she would like from a ghoul attack and an organ transplant, she still worried after his health, uneasy about the situation.

Hours later, Aelin finally left Kaneki's room for the day and tiredly stumbled down the halls, shoving the front doors of the hospital open only to collide with someone, and send the both of them off balance. Now fully ticked off, Aelin straightened herself with the intention of cussing out the unlucky person who ran into her, only to let her facial features soften with fondness as she realized it was none other than Hide. With a relieved sigh, needing someone to rant her worries to, Aelin snagged the boy's wrist in a tight grip, and took off towards his apartment.

Hide's POV

Hide gaped at his determined friend as she dragged him back to his house, wondering what had gotten into her, but complied as she held out her hand for his keys. He trailed after Alli-chan as they entered his home, shutting the door behind him as the two students flopped onto the couch. Righting himself with a groan, Hide began asking the many questions on his mind.

"So, did 'Neki get laid?"

Hide quickly regretted those words as Alli-chan shoved him from the sofa, landing hard on the wooden floor. Ignoring his friend's snickering at his predicament, he grunted in pain and planted himself once more on the couch, noting to run the question by Kaneki once he was out of the hospital. With his inquiry about his best friend's love life out of the way, Hide sent Alli-chan an inquisitive glance, silently looking for the answers to his thoughts. Alli-chan rolled her eyes with a huff at his gaze, but began to speak, an exasperated smile adorning her face.

"He's ok, Hide. Well, not in the best shape, but he's stable, and should be awake within the next two weeks. Course, I do wanna have a chat with his Doc about these things called emergency contacts, which you're supposed to call in extreme cases, such as, oh, I dunno, A FREAKING ORGAN TRANSPLANT! But… Ugh, as much as I want to be freaking pissed at… what's his name… right, Dr. Kanou, he did save Kaneki, so… I'll send him a fruit basket or something."

Hide chuckled at Alli-chan's fluctuating mood, cringing slightly when she sent him a light-hearted glare.

"Suuuuure, Alli-chan. Though, I was wondering, how did the medics get the beam out of his stomach?"

Alli-chan blinked uncomprehendingly at the blonde, her forehead creasing in confusion.

"We are talking about the same person, right? Kaneki, our best friend, black hair, goes to Kamii, is a total book nerd for tragedies and horrors? Cause unless he changed his name to Scotty, he did NOT get beamed. Where did you even hear this utter crap from?"

Hide raised an eyebrow at Alli-chan's spiel, but turned on the television and flipped channels until he reached the news. Speeding through commercials, Hide resumed the screen at a normal speed, and unmuted the volume. Aelin watched with growing horror as the tv played.

" _Today, two students were caught in an accident with falling steel beams. The female student was crushed on impact, however the male student, though heavily injured, was rushed to the hospital. An emergency organ transplant was performed using the female student's kidneys, but there is a large debate over the lack of any permission from a family member or guardian. Dr. Kanou is with us today to discuss the morals of his decision." "Thank you for the introduction. Now, I know that many of you are wondering, how could I so blatantly disregard the law? However, you fail to acknowledge the fact that first and foremost, I am a doctor, and my goal is to save as many lives as I can. The female student had already passed away, so if I could save the male student, I would do so without a second thoug-_ " The television went black, Alli-chan clenching the remote in her trembling hand. Eyes filled with pain, Aelin knew that though she stood at the top of the world, it was only a matter of time until the life she had built for herself would come unraveling beneath her, and the only variable was who else would be dragged down with her.


	5. Chapter 4-Bloody Hell

A/N: Once again, feel free to review, and I do not own Tokyo Ghoul. Thank you!

P.S. I'm from Texas, so please forgive slang such as ya'll.

Chapter 4 –Bloody Hell

Aelin's hands curled into fists as she was once more denied entry to Kaneki's hospital room. Her temper running short, Aelin resolved to simply wait outside his room. He was finally going to be released and the moron wouldn't let her see him? She gritted her teeth in annoyance, but restrained herself from breaking in. It would draw far too much attention if she did something as reckless as break down Kaneki's door.

At that thought, a small smirk worked its way onto her face. Maybe smashing a door would be a bit much, but what was stopping her from slipping in the window? Pushing herself off the wall, Aelin prepared to put her plan in action when Kaneki's door opened, and her friend stepped out, ready to head home. Aelin gave him a deadpanned glare at his timing, and Kaneki's eyes widened as he noticed the girl impatiently awaiting him. Kaneki sheepishly waved, only to be tackled by Alli-chan. He cringed, but awkwardly pat her back, his fingers reflexively moving to his face as he assured Alli-chan that he was alright. With a weary sigh, Aelin shook her head but backed off, walking Kaneki home while informing him of the work and notes he missed in class. Aelin snickered as the teen freaked out over all he had missed, only to send him a soft smile as she pulled out copies of all the notes and assignments from her bag. Kaneki gaped at his friend, unable to comprehend that she had truly copied everything for him, but grateful that he wouldn't have to use Hide's illegible chicken scratch instead. The two friends parted ways, Aelin giving Kaneki on last sorrowful glance before she was out of sight.

Aelin let out a groan at the sunlight coming through her window. After cussing out the sun in every language she knew, she forced herself to emerge from the warmth of the blankets and prepare for the day. Tossing on black leather pants, a black tank-top, and a red leather jacket (despite Hide's protests she insisted her outfit was the incarnation of badass) and checked her phone. After a few texts sent to both Hide and Kaneki, scheduling a meeting at Anteiku after classes, Aelin drove to Kamii and sprinted over to her boys, sending herself barreling into Kaneki and Hide, the poor saps knocked to the ground. Snorting at their misfortune, Aelin ruffled her friends' hair before once more running away, eager to get to class.

Aelin sighed with relief as the final bell rang, and drove to Anteiku. Taking a seat at a table, Aelin pulled out her vibrating phone, reading Hide's message about he and 'Neki being a bit late. She huffed in annoyance, but returned his text, letting Hide know that she would wait for them. However, as minutes turned into an hour, Aelin began pacing the coffee shop, anxiously staring out the window for any glimpse of her friends. Aelin idly noticed that she was the only customer still in the café, but promptly ignored this fact upon seeing the waitress Hide had flirted with previously lugging both the boys into Anteiku. Aelin raced outside and grabbed ahold of Hide, aiding the other girl in her endeavor. Hide and Kaneki were finally dragged upstairs, and situated in spare beds until they awoke. The purple haired girl, Kirishima-san, was eyeing Aelin warily, uneasy of the human. But before she could speak up, a groan was heard from Kaneki's room, and Aelin noticeably relaxed, returning downstairs to the coffee shop.

Kaneki's POV

Kaneki headed downstairs, and after stumbling over his words to Hide, was informed that for all intents and purposes, he and Hide were harmed in a car crash. Sitting down with a cup of coffee, Kaneki was quietly thinking until his thoughts were interrupted with a sharp smack on the head. From the indignant cry let out by Hide, he assumed his friend as privy to similar abuse. Turning his head, Kaneki's eyes widened comically in fear at the sight of a furious Alli-chan. Kaneki opened his mouth to explain himself, but froze as Alli-chan got in his personal space and began looking him over, taking in the sight of any and all injuries, and even going so far as to lift his pant legs and shirt. Kaneki let out an undignified squawk at the intrusion, but stilled at the glare directed at him. Hide spoke up with a tense grin.

"Heeeey! Alli-chan! Why are you feeling him up? I'm the one with the muscles!"

Aelin let off an amused snort but replied.

"Don't worry Hide, you're next."

Finally satisfied with Kaneki, Aelin turned and repeated the process on Hide. Afterwards, she took a step back and began her interrogation.

"Who did this to ya'll?"

Kaneki stuttered out a responding, "N-No! You've got it all wrong Alli-chan! It was a- uh, car crash! It's no one's fault, so-"

Aelin covered his mouth, rolling her eyes at his unconvincing lie.

"Look morons, I'm not asking what happened, I'm asking who did this. It's obvious this wasn't an accident, seeing as Hide has layered bruises in the shape of a shoe on his face, so someone was stomping on him repeatedly, not to mention the roundhouse kick that someone sent to his abdomen. Unless someone was swinging a baseball bat, I'm pretty sure a kick is the only thing to explain the bruised ribs and shape of the bruises. Now, give me a name."

Kaneki caved, muttering out, "N-Nishino Nishiki"

Aelin grunted out a thank you and shoved Hide out the door with instructions to ice his wounds, but paused on her own way out the door, giving a few more words.

"Kaneki, you're gonna have to re-break your ankle, it wasn't set right and your ankle will be jacked up until you fix it. See ya."

Carelessly waving, Aelin strode out of Anteiku, leaving Kaneki and Touka at a loss for words.


	6. Chapter 5-Shituation

A/N: Thank you so much for reading my story, and a quick thank you to sousie for the reviews! It means a lot to me! Enjoy!

Chapter 5 – **Shit** uation

Aelin strode into Anteiku, ignoring the hushed mutterings being exchanged by the waiters and patrons alike. Peering around for a table, Aelin noticed that the only available seat was at a table with a small girl, who greatly resembled her Hina-chan. Taking her seat, Aelin glanced at the small girl only to freeze and jump up in astonishment. The child met Alli-chan's gaze, eyes wide as she rushed into Alli-chan's arms.

"Onee-chan!"

"Hina-Chan!"

The girl's excited cries rang throughout the café, joy evident on their expressions. Aelin sat down once more, and began questioning after Hina-chan.

"Is Ryouko-san here? What about your father? Doesn't he have work? Are you okay? Hinaaa-chaaaan! Tell me everything!"

Hinami laughed at her Onee-chan's childish attitude, but obligingly answered.

"Yeah, Mom is upstairs. Dad had to stay home for work, but me and Mom will be here for a bit. I'm fiiine, Touka-nee takes good care of me when Mom is busy!"

"Really? That's good. How have you been liking Monochrome Rainbows? Did you have any trouble with the Kanji?"

Hinami shook her head, proud that she was able to get through most of the story.

"No, Kaneki-nii helped me with the new Kanji! He reads Takatsuki Sen too! You should meet him!"

Aelin chuckled, a sly grin on her face.

"Is he cute~?"

Hinami sputtered denials, caught off guard by the abrupt subject change.

"W- WHAT? N- NO! WHY WOULD YOU EVEN ASK THA-"

Aelin burst into snickers at Hinami's horrified face upon noticing the shadow looming from behind her. Kaneki stood there blushing, as a wicked look crept over his features. The boy faked a pout and spoke up.

"Hinami-chan! I'm not cute? So cruel!"

Hinami opened her mouth to protest once more, only to throw her hands into the air and drop her face onto the table with a muffled cry. Aelin and Kaneki cracked up once more, and even Touka-chan smiled at the amusing sight. Aelin quickly cut herself off and raced to the stairwell, having noticed Ryouko descending the stairs. After a heartwarming greeting, Ryouko took Hinami outside to go clothes shopping. As idle chatter resumed in the coffee shop, an effeminate man dressed in bright clothes entered the café. Aelin stiffened and narrowed her eyes, quickly excusing herself to the bathroom. Emerging a few minutes later, Aelin saw a star-struck Kaneki staring at Anteiku's door, Touka-chan donning a disgusted scowl. Internally swearing at her idiot friend, Alli-chan sat next to Kaneki.

"Kaneki. I have a few important questions for you. One, have you been nice to Hina-chan? Cause if you haven't… Rest In Pieces Kaneki. Second, DON'T answer this to me, but Hide needs to know if you got laid. With, you know, Rize-san. Finally, WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU A MAGNET FOR HOMOCIDAL PURPLE HAIRED PEOPLE? SERIOUSLY, HOW? Stay the FUCK away from him or I'll shove a sword up his ass, got it?"

Kaneki gaped disbelievingly at Alli-chan. _D-Death? Se-Sex? Sword up the ass… wait did she make a freaking-_

Kaneki leveled her with a deadpan glare.

"Alli-chan? You… You'll shove a sword up his… Isn't that… Did you really just make a sex joke Alli-chan?"

Aelin fell out of her chair clutching her stomach, guffawing loudly.

"OH MY GOD 'NEKI! I HAVE CORRUPTED YOU! I DIDN'T EVEN MEAN IT THAT WAY! HAHA, THIS IS PRICELESS, I HAVE STOLEN YOUR INNOCENCE! HAHAHaah… oh shit Hide is gonna kill me… now me and him can't throw innuendoes over your head. BOO 'NEKI, BOO! BE ASHAMED OF YOUR PERVERTED WAYS!"

Kaneki repeated Hinami's earlier action, a loud thump sounding as his skull met the table, exasperated at his best friends' antics.

"I disown you two." was Kaneki's responding declaration, utterly done with this situation. _Wait no, not a situation, what's that stupid word Alli-chan came up with? …right. I'm in a…_ _ **shit**_ _uation. God damn it Alli-chan. If I die of embarrassment my ghost shall haunt you._

Aelin smirked as her phone buzzed.

"Hey 'Neki! Hide congratulates you on the loss of your innocence! He says now all you need to lose is your- mhhhmff!"

Kaneki covered her mouth quickly, flushing crimson in embarrassment. Aelin rolled her eyes, muttering "Drama queen" under her breath, but read the next text from Hide.

"Hide also says you need to park your car in the garage. Pfft, OH MY GOD HIDE!"

Kaneki blinked at his friend in confusion, tilting his head questioningly.

"But Alli-chan, I dont have a car? And Kamii doesn't even have a garage... what are you two going on about?"

"Alright then. I'm gonna let Hide know that it was a false alarm. You are still oblivious to the high heavens, and somehow still have a pure mind after having been around me and Hide for years."


	7. Chapter 6-French 101

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the wait! I was thought the chapter was to short and was thinking of ways to lengthen it. Now, if you're reading this chapter, REVIEW PLEASE! Even flames are wanted! I can't fix mistakes without constructive criticism, and I need to know what I am doing right and should continue doing. Thank you!

P.S. Shout-out to Burke23, who is starting a Tokyo Ghoul story, check it out!

Chapter 5 –French 101

Aelin stiffened as she stepped out of Kami and saw Kaneki and Frenchie Bastard sitting at a table together. Aelin spat curses under her breath, but walked off, ignoring her friend for now.

Aelin entered her apartment, striding quickly towards the bathroom. Glaring at her reflection, she fixed her hair into a tight bun, tying a black bandanna around her neck and tossing a black police style hat on her head. Satisfied with her look, she went to her bedroom, dressing in loose silver pants and a similar silver top, with a black leather jacket and black leather fingerless gloves to top the look off. Aelin opened the bottom drawer of her dresser, taking out a foxlike mask that covered the eyes and face above the nose. Strapping the mask onto her face, Aelin adjusted her bandanna once more to loosely cover her mouth and nose, and nodded to herself in satisfaction at her disguise.

Kaneki's POV

Kaneki flinched away from the behemoth attacking him as he mentally berated himself for trusting Tsukiyama-san, and for ignoring Alli-chan's warning. His vision swimming, Kaneki collapsed to the ground as the drugs inside him kicked in. Directing a glare at the on looking audience, the half-ghoul waited for the final blow. Instead, he scrambled backwards as his assailant's corpse toppled toward him, mouth gaping wide upon seeing the ghoul who had saved his life. A shout rose from the crowd at the plot twist, all staring at the twin white bikaku kagune impaled through the chest of the attacking creature. The source of the kagune was a ghoul, dressed in silver and black leather, with a distinctive fox mask. A few uneasy mutterings started up at the sight of the S rated ghoul, Kitsune. Kitsune chuckled darkly at the attention, raising their silky voice to be heard throughout the restaurant.

"Well hello there. I'm afraid that today's dessert has been cancelled. I'll be taking this treat to-go, so I will take my leave. Happy dining, I bid you all adieu."

Tsukiyama lunged forward, anxious to grab his meal before it was taken from him, but Kitsune nimbly fled the scene, Kaneki in tow.

Aelin's POV

Aelin heaved the limp Kaneki over her shoulder, watching her surroundings carefully for anyone idiotic enough to tail her. Satisfied that they were alone, Aelin once more took up a rapid pace, slipping through the back door of Anteiku and setting Kaneki on a chair, leaving the café in a hurry as the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the building. Finally allowing herself to relax, the ghoul slipped her mask and bandanna into her bag, then let herself into Hide's place to crash for the night, ignoring the slight protests of hunger her stomach put up.

A/N: What I imagine Kitsune's mask to look like. Btw, NOT mine in any way or form. listing/225847228/light-trickster-fox-white-sumi-e-mask?ref=shop_home_active_14


	8. Chapter 7-FLUFF

A/N: To make up for the delay and shortness of the previous chapter, here's another for yall. This is a hint at a pairing I am considering, but I need feedback to decide whether or not I should. Btw, thanks to sousie for the review, and check out Burke23's TG fanfiction which is now up. Also a shout-out to specialminds, if there are any undertale fans out there, check out his fanfic "Fonttale". Pleeeeeeeease review reader-san! I can't improve my story without any feedback! Constructive feedback, not stupid junk like "boo" or "this is good". Let me know what to improve upon, and what I should keep up! Arigato!

Chapter 6 –FLUFF

Aelin's POV

Aelin grumbled, slowly sitting up to escape the hand incessantly shaking her into wakefulness. With a groan, she swatted the hand away as she pried her eyes open, only to immediately shut her eyelids once more upon seeing Hide's irate face.

"Alli-chan! Get up, I wanna sit on my couch and watch mind-numbing TV, and that isn't possible with your lazy butt crashing on my couch! Hey, don't ignore me, or I swear I will…. NOOOOOOooooooo…. Alli-chan, for the hundredth time, I will NOT BE YOUR TEDDY BEAR!"

Aelin smirked smugly into her best friend's shoulder as he bemoaned his newfound fate as a plushie, forced to cuddle for another few hours when he wasn't tired! Not that he really minded, but there was no way Hide would ever admit it.

Hide's POV

Hide shivered at the loss of warmth, pouting at the mocking giggles emerging from nearby. Making room on the couch for Alli-chan to sit, he gave a cheery smile as Alli-chan returned with coffee and a quilt. Letting out a grateful sigh, Hide glugged down his coffee, eager to get some caffeine in his system. Finally the mug came up empty, and Hide started up a conversation.

"Sooo Alli-chan, am I free now?"

Aelin let out a small snort.

"Heh, yeah, you're no longer under ar _rest_."

Hide rolled his eyes at the terrible pun and continued.

"Look, so… I'm kinda worried about 'Neki right now. I… don't think he's eating well, and when I checked his place the other day, there wasn't any food in his fridge. And… there was more to the "car crash" incident. But… ugh, I suck at this… what do you think about ghouls, Alli-chan?"

Aelin winced at seeing her usually confident and composed friend reduced to a stuttering mess, but quickly replied.

"They're quite the man-eaters."

"Alli-chan, you already used that joke about Ri…ze… oh my god you already knew and you did nothing! Why didn't you stop him? How… wait. How the frick did you know in the first place Alli-chan?"

Aelin stared solemnly into Hide's eyes, and quietly muttered, "Do you truly want to know?" Seeing the nod Hide sent towards her, she began.

"Magic. The Voodoos."

As Hide opened his mouth to protest, Aelin interrupted him quickly.

"What's the difference between a lightbulb and a pregnant chick?"

"*sigh* What Alli-chan?"

"Heh… You can _unscrew_ a lightbulb."

Hide's hand met his face in record time.


	9. Chapter 8-A Shittyama Day

A/N: JOKES, SO MANY JOKES! And more cussing than usual because Alli-chan is put on the spot. Also, I need to know now, first of all, do yall (the readers) want me to follow the anime, or manga? I prefer manga, but if there is a good number of people inclined towards anime I may change my mind. Second is, should I continue this into re:? Cause I preplan all of this in my head, so I will need to make minor changes to continue it into re:, or I can end it at the end of the anime/manga. Finally, when it comes to pairings, my current ideas are Touka x Kaneki, and either Hide x Alli-chan, or Ayato x Alli-chan. All of the above issues are up to my readers, leave a review and let me know your preference and opinions, please and thanks! Now to get onto the story.

Chapter … I dunno I lost count…: A Shittyama Day

Hide's POV

"Alli-chan no."

Alli-chan YES!"

Hide groaned at his overexcited friend, attempting to convince him to listen to whatever lewd jokes she came up with this time. With a sigh, he gave in.

"Fine, but just a few, got it Alli-chan? You still need to answer the questions I asked you!"

Alli-chan gave an uncaring roll of her eyes, but pressed on.

"Heh… ok, so…. Pfft, I can't say this with a straight face. How do you rape a camel?"

Hide simply glowered in response.

"One hump at a time."

"Alli-chan, why must you always do this to meeeeee~"

"Snnrk, no, wait, it gets better! What do you call a dog with no legs?"

"Alli-chan, you call it a sad doggo, don't be mean to the doggos Alli-chan!"

"No Hide. It- it doesn't matter what you call it, it won't come."

Hide convulsed on the couch in a joke induced seizure while Alli-chan collapsed in snickers.

"Hey, what's long, thick, and full of seamen?"

"ALLI-CHAN NO! THAT'S NOT EVEN HOW YOU PRONOUCE SEMEN!"

"Eww Hide, get your mind out of the gutter! It's a submarine, obviously. Pfft, oh my god your face!"

Hide's expression conveyed the deep-seated self-loathing he directed at himself for once again falling for Alli-chan's tricks.

"Ok, ok, I'm done! Hide, it's over! You don't need to- OW OW OW WHY CRUEL WORLD DAMN IT HIDE NOOO~"

Alli-chan fled the room, followed closely by an enraged Hide, beating the poor ghoul with pillows.

After the two friends finally finished their amusing antics, they plopped onto the couch once more.

"So Alli-chan, I'm really worried about Neki'. I checked his fridge the other day when I dropped of the notes he missed, and there is nothing but coffee! That cannot be healthy!"

Aelin stilled at that comment, focusing her now furious gaze on Hide, narrowing her eyes dangerously at her idiot friend.

" _Just_ coffee there? No packages or anything?"

"Ugh, you mean the brown paper bag one? It was in the trash, but looked like it was still full, why?

Silence reigned for a few seconds before Aelin stood up abruptly.

"Excuse me, I have a Kaneki who needs some sense knocked into him, see ya Hide!"

"WHA- ALLI-CHAN, WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT LEAVING THROUGH MY WINDOW?"

Aelin's POV:

 _That son of a- frikkin idiot- He is dead to me, DEAD I SAY!_ Aelin shook her head to rid herself of her homicidal thoughts (Neki' was so lucky she liked him or that idiot would be six feet under) and slid on her mask once more. Properly outfitted, Kitsune leapt on the rooftops, running towards the idiot's apartment, when she slipped, and stumbled. Cursing her luck, Kitsune got up, only for her legs to go crashing through the wooden ceiling of the abandoned church she stood on. Shouting every cuss word in her dictionary (and a few puns about how she was looking a little… _board_ ) Kitsune finally crashed down to the buildings floor, only to blanch at the sight awaiting her.

Eyes wide upon seeing the human tied up, Kitsune's thought to mouth filter promptly shut off as the ghoul muttered, "That right there is some BDSM shit. WHY THE FUCK IS IT ALWAYS ME! OF COURSE I FUCKING FALL IN ON AN ORGY! I'M OUT!"

As she prepared to ditch the embarrassing scene, Kitsune froze because _of course_ this couldn't be simple. Not only was Frenchie Bastard there, her favorite idiot she was just searching for happened to be at the scene too! Not to mention Shithead and Kaneki's Tsundere girlfriend. Speaking of Shithead, that… was his human on the altar god damn it. Yup, it was official. Life hates her.


	10. Chapter 9-Oka-san NOOOOO

A/N: Due to popular demand, I will be including Touka and Aelin interactions (aka butting heads and yelling at each-other.) I hope yall enjoy my (vulgar) brand of humor, but in many ways I do have Aelin's personality reflect my own, making it easy to figure out her responses to different shituations. Also, the flashback in this chapter is explaining how Aelin and the Fueguchis' know one another, cause after all, you didn't think that little 6-year-old Alli-chan could feed herself, right?

Reviews:

Burke26: Yes, seriously. IT IS A FABULOUS JOKE! DON'T JUDGE!

Sousie: Yeah, but I feel worse for Alli-chan. I mean, she was planning on being epic and busting down Neki's door or something, but nooo, instead her dramatic entrance is feet in the ceiling, and she literally comes dropping in. Or Hide, I mean, I'm sure he is sick and tired of Alli-chan breaking his windows cause she is too lazy to use the door. Or even open the window before she hops out.

Guest: But terrible jokes are FABULOUS! Also, there will be a lot more touka and aelin in the mother daughter ghoul arc, but I'll see if I can include some.

Chapter 9(Im back on count): Oka-san NOOOOOO~

Flashback-a few days after the prologue:

Aelin hesitantly knocked on the door, relaxing upon hearing the soft footsteps on the other side. She gave a weak smile up at Ryouko-san, then rushed in for a hug, the child finally breaking down. The startled woman quickly ushered the girl inside, gently rocking the distressed ghoul until her sobs ceased. Aelin finally managed to stutter out an explanation, causing Ryouko-san to tighten her comforting hold on the child upon hearing the news of her lifelong friend's death. Together, the two cried, heartbroken at the loss of amazing parents, and friends.

Current times- Aelin's POV:

Aelin grumbled at how Neki' managed to suck her into his problems for the umpteenth time, but took a threatening stance, and spoke to the Frenchie Bastard.

"Well damn, looks like I have to interfere after all. I won't kink shame, but when you mess with what's mine, I gotta step in. Kaneki Ken is under _my_ protection, so unless you intend to start a fight, I would get out of here now, got it Frenchie?"

All parties present widened their eyes, both at the random ghoul who fell through the ceiling, and her implied threat. Kaneki quickly muttered to Touka-chan, "That's the ghoul who saved me at the Restaurant Touka-chan!" while Gourmet narrowed his eyes, but prepared to work up an appetite.

"Non Mademoiselle, I am afraid you are mistaken. Kaneki-kun is none other than yours truly, and such a delicacy is fit for my palate alone, thus I fear I must bid you adieu."

Aelin rolled her eyes at the egotistical maniac, but prepared to fight.

"You wanna dance, Frenchie? Then let's DANCE!"

With that exclamation, Kitsune let five of her Bikaku emerge, awaiting her opponent's advance. Gourmet's lips twitched into a frown, annoyed that the ghoul seemed to be more than just talk, but prepared his Koukaku for battle. The two circled one another a few times, before Tsukiyama leapt into the fray, slashing wildly with ever increasing fervor, while Aelin showed off with complicated flips and twists, dodging each slice. Finally she seemed to tire of the game, and went in for the kill, gutting the Gourmet with her Kagune and sending him flying amongst the pews. Letting out a huff at the uneventful fight, Aelin jumped, aiming to leave through the hole she made in the roof, only to hit her head on a wooden beam. Growling curses at having been _beamed_ in the head, Kitsune finally successfully fled the scene, annoyed that her epic exit was ruined. Touka-chan voiced everyone's thoughts with an outraged yell of "WHAT THE FUCK" baffled at the ghoul's… everything.

*Touka-chan. Truly the most Tsundere of ghouls.*

A few days later:

Aelin skipped (yes skipped, she was in a good mood 'cause she got Yandere-chan into a miniskirt and took pictures) towards Anteiku, but stopped at the entrance, tilting her head in confusion at the sign declaring the café closed. With a shrug, the girl ignored said sign and barged into the shop, heading into the back room upon hearing voices, _that's never a good sign_. Shoving the door open, she was met with incredulous stares of all occupants of the room, but Aelin immediately ignored her surroundings in favor of rushing to her crying Hina-chan, begging the child to tell her what's wrong. As Yoshimura-sama opened his mouth, most likely to make Aelin leave the premises, Hina-chan voiced the tragedy in a shaky voice.

"ONEE-CHAN! M-Mom… Mom is… the doves… she's gone. And Dad… He-His Kagune was there, but… it was wrong, and-"

Aelin shushed the girl, unwilling to force her to relive anymore of the incident, gently rocking Hina-chan like Ryouko-san had done so many years before for the teenage ghoul.

A/N: SORRY I GOTTA CUT THE CHAPTER OFF SHORT CAUSE IM CRYING AND DAMN IT NOOOO OKA-SAN WHY U GOTTA DIE! Also, miniskirts. BUT RYOUKO-SAN NOOOOOOO COME BACK HINA-CHAN NEEDS YOU! So yeah, touka screaming at Aelin will be next chapter. The real question is, who is the better Onee-chan?


	11. Chapter 10-Married Life

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews and new followers! It means a lot to me! I'm gonna try to update every few days, and upload chapters of a minimum of 600 words. Sorry for cutting last chapter short, but THE FEELS! Anyway, I'm gonna get started, and shout out to Burke26 and their new TG fanfic. Also, if anyone can guess who Yandere-chan is, (they were mentioned in the last chapter) then I will put any minor thing you suggest in the story, but you have to guess before the next chapter is out. Yoshimura x Aelin… The ship no one wanted to set sail.

Chapter 10: Married life

Aelin's POV:

Aelin hummed softly, gently rubbing circles on Hina-chan's back as the small ghoul cried. Letting out a silent sigh as she felt Hina-chan go limp in her arms, Aelin stood up and carefully carried the sleeping child upstairs, tucking the emotionally exhausted girl into her bed and heading down the stairs once more after leaving a parting kiss on Hina-chan's forehead. Aelin scowled upon hearing a shout from the meeting room, and stormed in, glaring at whoever was idiotic enough to risk disturbing her sweet Hina-chan. Seeing Touka-chan standing red-faced, Alli-chan strode up to the Tsundere and smacked her upside the head, draping herself over the sofa once more. Aelin felt her rage dissipate as the members of Anteiku gaped at her nerve, and Alli-chan broke out in snickers as Touka-chan's face began to match her hair in coloring. Aelin finally began guffawing loudly as she saw horror fill Kaneki's face, her idiot friend fearful of what the Tsundere would do in retaliation. Nishiki-kun soon joined in on the laughter, finding the whole situation hilarious. After Nishiki-kun and Alli-chan caught their breath, the two trouble-makers exchanged high-fives, proud of the humor made at Touka-chan's expense. The ghouls focused once more on the topic at hand, all present glancing anxiously at the (thought to be) human. Aelin rolled her eyes at the tense atmosphere, and began the necessary conversation.

"So, Hina-chan is gonna need a place to stay, right? I have a spare room at my place. Besides, it's in Ryouko-san and Asaki-san's will that if something happens to the both of them and I'm of legal age, I become her guardian. And this place isn't the safest, due to the fact that if even one of ya'll get found out, everyone here will be exposed and Anteiku will go up in flames."

Yoshimura-sama blinked uncomprehendingly at the girl's straight to the point manner, but responded.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that won't be necessary. I have already made plans for Hinami-chan to be moved to the 24'th ward, so-"

The manager was quickly cut off as both Aelin and Touka-chan gave an outraged yell in unison upon hearing that statement.

"NO WAY IN HELL IS SHE GOING TO THAT HELLHOLE OLD MAN!"

Kaneki chuckled under his breath at how similar the two girls could be, but cringed at the death-glares leveled at him. Aelin inhaled deeply, trying to regain a semblance of control over her emotions, and shoved down her anger at the Manager in front of her.

"Look, it sucks that I don't have your permission to care for Hina-chan, but luckily I neither need it nor asked for it. It's in Ryouko-san's will, and I was merely informing you of the fact that Hina-chan is under my care, not requesting custody. I was hoping you would agree it's best so that the transition would be made easier for Hina-chan, and she wouldn't have to feel as though she's picking sides, but… oh my god this sounds way too much like two parents arguing over custody in a divorce… and now I'm scarred for life with the mental image of me and Yoshimura-sama married. Bleh! Kaneki help~"

Kaneki let out an exasperated huff at how his friend managed to once more get herself and him into awkward situations.


	12. Chapter 11-Dead End

A/N: I'm a bit disappointed that no one besides Burke23 tried to guess who Yandere-chan is, but oh well. I'm gonna finish the mother daughter ghoul arc this chapter, and next will (maybe) be the beginning of the Jason arc. Also, shoutout to one of my favorite TG fanfics, Research and Smoothies, by TimelessTears. Check it out, it's hilarious! Also, I would really appreciate it if anyone with questions about the plot or even something less on topic asks said questions. I purposely left some things in the story that don't make sense without some clarification, to see how long it takes for someone to voice their questions. Also, let me know if you want more fluff.

Sousie: Yeah, it sucks that Ryouko-san had to die, but at the same time I want to keep some of the early story events the same, and not just so I can follow canon plot easily. It gives me ways to show bits of Aelin's personality. For example, Kaneki becoming a half-ghoul could have been prevented if Aelin was less lazy and full of herself. She only came up with one plan, embarrass Kaneki so he avoids Rize-san, both because she was too lazy to follow him on his date and put in extra effort she had deemed unnecessary, and because she was so used to her plans working that she only came up with one plan, and no backup.

 **READ AUTHORS NOTES PLZ AND REVIEW!**

Chapter 11—Dead End (Are you Mad(o) at me?)

Aelin's POV

Aelin jumped along the rooftops, enjoying the bright sun, happy to be able to stretch her kagune. With another great leap (like a majestic kangaroo) Aelin let out her joyous laughter, enjoying the wind in her hair and the rush of adrenaline. Aelin skid to a stop however, at the sight of Tsundere-chan pointlessly killing investigators. Gritting her teeth in irritation, Aelin approached the scene, only to see another investigator with weird mismatched eyes joined the fight. Upon seeing Touka-chan retreat, Aelin slid down the wall, shoving off to land in front of the two CCG members, grinning as their eyes widened upon seeing it was the S rated Kitsune. Before either could speak up, Aelin decided to get a few good laughs in.

"Heya Dovies! So, quick question! What do you call an alligator in a vest?"

Amon gaped at the random inquiry, and Mado prepared to strike.

"An Investagator! What's with that face? Are you Mad(o)? We're all Amon(g) friends, aren't we?"

Chuckling under her breath, Aelin swiftly dodged the quinque charging towards her, undeterred by the attack. Aelin moved in a wild dance, ducking and diving without a single injury. Aelin grinned, smug at her skills, only to let out a string of cusses as she snapped her ankle. In retrospect, it may not have been the best idea to go leaping on roofs and fight a Dove in high heels. Chucking the dreadful shoes at her assailants, she spat out curses that would make a sailor cringe and ditched the scene, determined to enact vengeance on Touka-chan.

Hobbling into an alleyway with both Touka-chan and Kaneki within, Aelin stumbled up to the idiot bunny, forgetting she was still wearing her mask, and slapped her across the face.

"Are you an IDIOT? Are you TRYING to get Hina-chan killed? You kill one Dove, another dozen will move in! Petty moron. Also… you fucked up my foot! And my high heels are goners cause of you!"

Kaneki and Touka stared at the ghoul before them, wondering why its mannerisms were so familiar, when it hit them. _Literally._ Aelin rolled her eyes, satisfied at having thrown a fist into both ghouls' stomachs, then stalked off, flipping them the bird as she left.


	13. Chapter 12-Overprotective Onee-chan

A/N: I'm so sorry it's been so long since the last update, I've been grounded and just got my laptop back. Anyway, I'm gonna finish up the mother-daughter ghoul arc this chapter and make this chapter a good bit longer to make up for the delay. Enjoy Reader-san!

Chapter 12: Overprotective Onee-chan Alert

Aelin's POV:

Snickering, Aelin ducked into Anteiku and burst into chuckles, the incredulous looks on Kaneki and Touka-chan's face absolutely priceless. She gave a contented sigh, only to squeal loudly upon seeing Hide and Hina-chan playing together. After filling up her phone's memory with the cute sight before her, Aelin ambled over to her friends and draped herself over Hide's shoulder. Hide, startled, jumped at the sudden intrusion, only to relax moments later. Aelin suddenly donned a diabolical grin and ushered Hina-chan over, whispering quickly in her ear. As the two girls nodded in agreement, Hide began to fearfully attempt to discover the mischief maker's plan.

-10 Minutes Later-

Touka's POV

Touka strode into the shop, dragging Bakaneki behind her, but paused at the scene before her. Both Touka and Kaneki doubled over in laughter at poor Hide's predicament. Bright pink lipstick was wildly smeared around his lips, while white foundation was splattered across his face, purple blush causing his cheeks to stand out. The final touch was the distressed boy's eyes, mascara and eye liner messily circling his eyes, lashes curled, and glittery eye shadow covering his eyelids and forehead. Aelin-san and Hinami-chan bragged about their masterpiece as Hide sulked in the corner, feeling emasculated and extremely violated.

Aelin's POV:

Aelin stomped up the stairs, her mood in the dumps, only to crash into Tsundere-chan and 'Neki, who were rushing out the door in a panic. Aelin let out a stream of words a sailor would cringe at, but followed the two, curious as to why they were so upset. Catching up to them with a light jog, Aelin once more cussed to her heart's content at the fact that the lost Hina-chan. After nearly half an hour of searching, she got a call from Touka-chan that Hina-chan was at a sewer system. Releasing her kagune and slipping on her mask, Aelin dashed to the scene, only to see Kaneki fighting an investigator. With an enraged snarl, Aelin leapt into the fray, sending the Dove flying as he tried to end Kaneki. Stepping protectively in front of her best friend, she scowled at the investigator rising from the ground, but stalked towards the man, her voice filled with malice.

"You wanna fight me? That's fine. But you harm one hair on this idiot's head and you will be begging for death when I'm done with you. Baka, are you alright?"

Kaneki gaped at his friend, but sputtered out a response.

"I'm fine, but Tou- er… you know is with Hi- Ugh, the girls are fighting an investigator, I got this!"

Aelin grimaced, stuck between a rock and a hard place, but made her decision.

"Bunny girl and Hina-chan are fine. Bunny girl can fight, you on the other hand cannot. Now shut up and stay out of the way."

With a hard shove, Aelin took Kaneki off the playing field, and got ready to make this dove regret murdering Ryouko-san. Aelin slid fluidly into a fighting stance, bared her teeth in a feral grin, and attacked. Her opponent could do nothing but dodge and block, purely on the defensive. This continued until Aelin focused all of her Kagune on the Quinque, letting the tool impale her only to snap the steel into pieces. Ignoring her open wound, she used the Dove's shock to quickly move in, and began stabbing at the investigator, who dodged her first Kagune only to feel another three go through his shoulders. The man collapsed to the ground with a pained shout, unconsciousness taking him as Aelin moved in for the kill. Aelin drew back her Bikaku, ready to snap the Dove's neck, only to quickly halt her tails as Kaneki moved in front of her. Narrowing her eyes, Aelin considered her options for a moment, but with a sigh stepped back and dissolved her Kagune, and headed into the sewers, anxious to check on Hina-chan, Kaneki following close behind. As Kaneki gushed over Touka-chan's injuries, Aelin crouched next to the weeping Hina-chan, carefully lifting the girl into her arms with relief. As the ghouls walked in the rain towards Anteiku, similar thoughts ran through Touka and Aelin's head. _Fuck, that gaping hole in my stomach stings like a bitch._

-A Few Days Later-

Aelin halted in front of Anteiku, dread pooling in her stomach at the closed sign on the door. With a heavy heart she trudged in, slowly making her way into the back room, only to be filled with panic as she entered. Every member of Anteiku was gathered in the room _except Kaneki_. Aelin's eyes darted around furiously, trying to catch even a glimpse of the one eyed ghoul, and her muscles were taut as she failed to see him. With a deep breath, Aelin asked the million-dollar question.

"Where is Kaneki."

Touka's shoulders hunched in shame, but the ghoul spoke up.

"They- They took him. Aogiri. They came and- and I couldn't stop them."

Aelin gritted her teeth, but held her temper.

"Who took him?"

Touka flinched.

"Jason."


	14. Chapter 13-Yandere Simulator 2016

A/N: Sorry for the delay, I don't have any good excuse this time. I got distracted and put off this chapter for way too long because there are so many directions that this chapter can lead the story, and it's hard to figure out which ideas are trash, and which should be used. It's even _harder_ to figure that out when I don't get any input from you guys! Hint, hint! Anyway, I'll try to be more consistent with uploading chapters, but no promises. All I can say is that I won't abandon this story until it's finished.

 **REVIEW PLEASE**

Chapter 13—Yandere Simulator 2016

Alli-chan's POV:

Fists clenched tight, Aelin rained in her temper with some difficulty, but focused on the deliverer of this news.

"Was he alone? Or were there any other members of Aogiri Tree with him?"

Touka-chan winced, but answered.

"There was Jason, a gay looking creep, and… my brother, Ayato."

Aelin gaped.

"Ayato! Are you freaking kidding me?"

Touka looked on, confused at why her brother's name irritated the girl, but her questions were cut off as Alli-chan whipped out her phone and dialed a number.

"Oi, Yandere-chan, what the FUCK? Get your sorry ass over here NOW!"

A rude "Tch" came through the phone, as Yandere-chan replied, "Why the hell should I, you shitty-" He was cut off as Aelin practically snarled into the phone, losing her composure.

"What the hell is wrong with you now, Kitsune?"

Aelin paced in anxiety, before muttering angrily, "Just get your butt to Anteiku and quick." Ignoring the unenthusiastic grumbles on the other end of the line, Aelin hung up, unwilling to waste any time. Dialing another number, she let a weak smile grace her lips this time, humming along to the dialing tone. Right before it cut to voicemail, Hide picked up, and some of the tension in Aelin's shoulders softened.

"Hey Hide, how are you?"

Aelin's face lit up at Hide's sunny disposition as he excitedly chattered to her.

"-And I got a new job at the CCG!"

She winced, but was unwilling to stifle his exuberance, so simply listened to her friend's chattering until an uncertain knock on Anteiku's entrance rang out. Aelin gave a hasty goodbye and hung up, striding to the door to let in Yandere-chan. Throwing a cautious look over her shoulder at Touka-chan, she yanked open the door, ushering in Yandere-chan, A.K.A. Kirishima Ayato. With a smug grin, Aelin gave the Ukaku a one armed hug, happy to see an old friend despite the circumstances. As she dragged the poor ghoul into the café, she broke into snickers at Touka-chan's gob smacked expression.

"And the Yandere meets the Tsundere! What has the world come to?"

Brushing past the two siblings, she rolled her eyes and settled herself on a chair, looking at Ayato expectantly. The ghoul in question stared at the unrepentant girl, uncertain as to why he was called here in the first place.

"So Ayato, had any interesting missions in the area lately?"

 _Well shit, that answers that question_ , the teen boy thought, searching through his memory of the attack on Anteiku for anything that would have upset the S~ rated ghoul.

"Heh, well, funny story there. Uh… I've been on a lot of missions lately? I mean, there was the time last week when I wrecked a miniature golf place, but-"

Aelin stared down the boy, unamused at his antics, as he shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. She narrowed her eyes into a piercing glare, a silent warning for Ayato to cut the crap. With a shiver, the teen obliged.

"Okay, okay, so what? Since when did you give a shit about this shitty coffee shop? Let me guess, you're best friends with my shitty sister? Well, don't expect me to-"

"AYATO! HINAMI IS JUST UPSTAIRS SO YOU BETTER STOP SWEARING LIKE A FUCKING SAILOR AND GET TO THE POINT!"

Rolling his eyes at the hypocritical speech, Ayato continued.

"Sheesh, don't get your panties in a twist! Ok, we were sent to find Rize, the Binge Eater, but all we found was some one eyed weakling that reeked of her, so we brought him back. Last I heard, he's Jason's new plaything, alright?"

Aelin gazed blankly, trying to comprehend the situation.

"Alright… Alright? NO IT'S NOT ALRIGHT YOU IDIOT! I WILL STRANGLE YOU WITH YOUR ENTRAILS AND SKIN YOU ALIVE YOU SON OF A… Say, Ayato, do you remember the two rules I have? That anyone who doesn't want to end up as carrion has to follow?"

"Duh, don't fuck with you, and don't even look wrong at your two pet humans."

"Do you remember those humans' names?"

"Eh, Kaneki and Nagachika, right?"

"Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner. Yes Ayato-kun, Nagachika, and _Kaneki Ken_ , who recently became a one eyed ghoul in an accident with the Binge Eater and worked at Anteiku until a certain raid the other day. So, let's just say you damn well fucked up, and you sure as hell better be ready to fix it.

A/N: Thanks for all the follows and favorites, as well as the overwhelming amount of views, from ya'll! It really means a lot! Also, sorry about all the cussing, but Aelin is pretty darn mad.

See ya later!


	15. Chapter 14-Fast Food

A/N: Here's another chapter to make up for the wait!

Chapter 14—Fast Food

"Wait, wait, wait, he is WHAT? Shit, I didn't know, I swear, I-"

As Ayato paced anxiously, Aelin let out a harsh snort.

"Chill idiot, you help me get him outta there, you get off scot free, got it?"

At the teen's frantic nodding, Aelin rolled her eyes and stretched, unfolding herself from the sofa. She turned to walk out the door, Ayato on her heels, only for Touka-chan to shout out.

"How do you two even know each other?"

The ghouls looked at each other and said, in perfect sync, "I/He freeloaded off of her/me."

"Where did you think I crashed whenever I stormed off? I… kinda owe her, seeing as she's the only reason I got into Aogiri in the first place, since she taught me how to fight…"

Aelin sighed, tired of the idle chit chat, and strode away without a second thought, Ayato hastily following. Slipping into a run, the two ghouls raced through the shadows until they reached a rundown apartment building, silently slipping in through the window. Flopping on the bed, Ayato quickly fell into an uneasy slumber, unlike Aelin, who kept watch of the surrounding areas, her kagugan glowing eerily in the darkness.

Aelin grumbled as the sun rose, making her wince at its brightness. With a groan, she trudged over to her squatter, shoving Ayato off the bed with a huff, but smirked at the whining shriek he emitted at the intrusion. Still chuckling under her breath, the ghoul began dragging the boy out of the apartment complex, her eyes filled with humor at Ayato's predicament as she wrestled the blanket from his hands and tossed him over the railing. Feeling far more awake, Aelin brought the blanket inside once more, making her bed neatly until the sound of an angry Rabbit rang out, attempting to enter through her window. Aelin grinned as her investment in bulletproof glass payed off, childishly sticking her tongue out at Ayato as he gave her his best glare. With a grin, she opened the patio door, and leapt off, catching herself above the ground with her kagune. Giving a passing glance at her resident Ukaku as she sped by, she quickly disappeared into the urban jungle.

Casting furtive looks around, she removed her mask and withdrew her kagune once more, walking down the shifty alleys without a care in the world. Soon enough, a man snagged her wrist, and she beamed at the imbecile who fell for her trap, laughter bubbling up in her chest as her assaulter did her job for her, dragging her into an abandoned flat, his knife pressed to her throat. She let the charade carry on for another few seconds, listening for any passersby as she did, then quickly twisted her head, her teeth sinking into the would-be-rapist's larynx. With a viscous grin, Kitsune tore into her prey, reveling in the flavor. Finally finished, she straightened, using his shirt to clean the blood on her, then stalked off, a feral snarl on her face, only to freeze as her ears picked up the faint echo of footsteps. Her smirk widening, the ghoul prepared for a fight as the two investigators approached, one a tall man with a solid build, and dark hair, the other young and childlike in appearance, with white hair and red stitching crisscrossing his skin in brutal patterns. Skipping towards her opposition, she eased herself against a wall, all nine of her bikaku fully extended behind her.

"Love the stitches shortstack! Did 'em yourself?"

The Doves blinked at her in surprise, but the shorty smiled as he drew out his knives, accenting his next statement with a quinque knife lodging itself in Kitsune's previous position.

"Yep! You really like them?"

The ghoul sidestepped the weapon with ease, an easy grin resting on her face. She tensed, then leapt towards the doves as she responded.

"Definitely, I gotta admit they're pretty _ghoul_! _Knife_ to meet ya, your looking _sharp_! _Steel_ yourself though, cause I think you got the _tail_ end of this situation."

Her kagune stabbed, one piercing the older man's side as the younger got a slash on his cheek. With a giggle, amusement evident in the ghoul's face, Kitsune leapt over the Doves and quickly lost the tailing investigators.

A/N: The puns were all knife puns, besides the first, (ghoul sounds like cool) and the last (kagune joke, she is a Bikaku, which means "Shining Tail", and her kagune resembles elongated fox tails.)


	16. Chapter 15-Hide and Seek

A/N: Hey guys. Sorry for the long wait, i've had a lot of shiz going on lately but that's no excuse. But anyway, I'm back and should be updating semi regularly once more. I'm thrilled with all the new followers this story has gotten since I went on hiatus, and I hope ya'll like the chapter, enjoy!

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Chapter 15: Hide and Go Seek

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Aelin paced anxiously, impatient to set off on the rescue mission. With a growl, she shoved open Anteiku's front door intending to hunt down the missing ghouls, only to run face first into Uta and Itori. She did a quick headcount and began bouncing on the balls of her feet in anticipation of the upcoming raid. She donned her mask and change of clothes in a rush, and bounded out into the night, ready to kick some ass and rescue 'Neki. And possibly discuss Eto's most recent literature release under her pseudonym, Takatsuki Sen. Aelin loves literature, especially the dark and grim stuff, and being able to read Eto's manuscripts and talk symbolism with her was worth dealing with Eto's more… eccentric tendencies. Lost in her thoughts, Aelin nearly ran headfirst into a looming building, skittering backwards only to realize she had reached her destination.

Aelin stalked in the shadow of the building looming above her, hesitant of drawing attention but determined to find Kaneki. She sent a wary glance towards the Anteiku ghouls as they quietly slipped in, and relaxed as soon as they were out of sight. She straightened, donning her mask with a scowl and strutting confidently towards the entrance. A few ghouls moved to stop her, but quickly jumped back when they saw it was her. She was no stranger to Aogiri, and though she bowed to no one, she came by often to visit Ayato and make a bit of cash on the side. Eto seemed to favor her for some unknown reason, not insisting, (A.K.A. threatening) on her joining the group. Striding through the monochrome halls, she sent an acknowledging nod towards Tatara as they crossed paths, and continued towards Jason's playroom. Though she hadn't given a flying fuck about Yaomori's recreational activities previously, he should not have messed with her friends. She was tense, preparing for the upcoming fight, but froze in utter disbelief as she glanced out the window. With a groan, she pulled out her phone and dialed Hide.

"Uh, hey Alli-chan, kind of bad timing, could you maybe call me later, the reception isn't super great right now"

"Sure Hide, as soon as you explain why you're on top of a fucking building with fucking binoculars you motherfucking moron!"

"Eh heh heh… long story?"

Aelin flipped Hide off through the window, then winced in realization she was still wearing her mask.

"Oh my god, I just got flipped off by a gho- girl. Definitely a girl, nothing suspicious in the slightest!"

"..."

"Alli? You still there?"

"First of all, I don't know if it's sad or hilarious that you find it normal to have girls flip you the bird. Especially when said girl, or should I say ghoul, is me."

"Ha, Ha, Ha, Alli-chan, very funny. Like I would believe that. Wait, aren't you supposed to be in Psychology at Kamii right now?"

Aelin bared a unsettling grin in anticipation.

"I guess you could say i'm too ghoul for school."

She snickered under her breath and quickly hung up on Hide, taking off once more towards Yaomori's "playroom". With a vicious snap kick, she tore down the doors into his lair, only to begin shaking with rage at the bloodbath before her. The walls were a canvas, white and unfeeling, and splashed, smeared, doused in scarlet coloring that screamed of languish and suffering. Fingers and toes were strewn haphazardly across the bloodstained floor, proof of her friend's suffering. The scent of blood was overwhelming, its sweet copper tang tainting the air to the point where Aelin could no longer prevent her kakugan from activating in response. In the corner of the room, she saw a young male with white hair bent over Yaomori's broken form, stilted numbers escaping his bloodied crimson lips. The teen looked up as Aelin's footsteps echoed across the chamber, then froze as he caught a glimpse of her mask, scuttling backwards in a panicked frenzy. Aelin crouched down in an attempt to appear nonthreatening, then spoke up in a calm voice.

"Shh, shh. It's alright, you're safe, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just here to look for my friend, okay? He has black hair, a thin face and slender frame, and only one kakugan. Have you seen him?"

The ghoul finally lifted his head from its bowed position, meeting her eyes hesitantly. His left eye was active, a throbbing kakugan. His right was not.

The lone dull brown eye stared into Aelin's own in a heart wrenching gaze, a single tear sliding down the boy's cheek as his shoulders began to shake. Aelin let out a world-weary sigh.

"Oh 'Neki, what did they do to you. Don't worry, me and Anteiku are here to get you out, okay? Cmon, let's go home. I'll let the others know I found you."


	17. Chapter 16-The Black Goat's Egg

A/N: Hey guys, here's the next chapter. I also edited the previous chapter and made some changes to it, so I would recommend checking it out, but it's not necessary to the plot to do so, it's just a bit more descriptive. I'm flipping ecstatic at the number of new follows, favorites, and reviews I got, I appreciate it so much! Thanks for taking the time out of your day to read my story, enjoy! Also, I just realized that out of all of the reviews, I haven't had even one flame or negative comment! You guys are awesome, I really appreciate it!

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Chapter 16: The Black Goat's Egg

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Aelin silently strode out of the whitewashed room, Kaneki stumbling weakly behind her, his eyes cast back and forth anxiously as the melodic cracking of his fingers rung out. Wincing, Aelin sent a wary glance over her shoulder at her companion as he mimicked Yaomori's distinct habit. Speeding up, she made a sharp turn down the hall, headed towards the nearest window, where she and Kaneki could hopefully get the hell out of this shithole. She froze, however, at the familiar sight of a certain white haired investigator. Two words effectively summed up her situation.

"Oh shit."

Juuzou giggled.

"Missed me?"

Aelin gave an unamused snort.

"Like a ghoul misses Colechea, Shortie."

Snarling curses under her breath, Aelin shifted into her fighting stance, only to be jostled to the side as Kaneki shoved past past her, standing defensively in front of her. She cast a disbelieving stare at her friend, in shock that he would willingly fight. Still, this was an opponent that certainly outclassed him, and there was no way in hell that she would stand for the bookworm of all people upstaging her. With a frustrated groan, Aelin pushed Kaneki to the side while hooking her ankle around his leg, effectively tripping him, before turning her attention to the incoming threat. She ducked beneath the two knives sliced at her and jumped back as a third was tossed at her shoulder. As Juuzou released a handful of blades aimed at her head, Aelin threw herself into a backflip, kicking out at the investigator on her way up.

* * *

Juuzou's POV:

He quickly dodged, but faltered as the ghoul's bikaku came racing towards him. He managed to dodge and parry four of the incoming attacks, but let out a whine of pain as the fifth grazed his side. Juuzou quickly assessed his injuries, only to frown as he realized that not only was he bleeding, he also had at least one broken rib and a couple more bruised or cracked. Irritated, he tossed himself into the fight once more, flinging his knives with pinpoint accuracy. The combat was quickly brought to an end, despite his renewed zeal, when three of Kitsune's kagune lashed across his side, flinging him through the plaster wall. While he was stunned, the two ghouls hastily fled without a backwards glance. Juuzou shook his head dizzily as he waited for his double vision to fade, ignoring Shinohara-san shouting his name distantly. The door to the room slammed open, and he saw the blurred form of Shinohara-san rushing towards him before everything went dark.

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A/N: Here's a little extra for ya'll as a thanks for all the follows and favorites. I've decided to start tacking on omakes of Ayato's attempts to kill Hide, because we all know that Yandere-chan is no good at sharing.

* * *

Omake:

Hide's POV:

Hide shifted awkwardly in the booth, his leg bouncing anxiously up and down as he waited for Alli-chan to arrive. As the front door to the Big Girl rang open, he twisted around to see who entered. With a put out sigh, his shoulders slumped once more as instead of the silver haired girl he was hoping for, a boy with dark blue hair entered. A teen with a feminine face and gaudy earrings strolled in, shoulders hunched and hands shoved as far into his pockets as possible. His head swiveled, scanning the diner for someone he couldn't find. Hide watched as the kid groaned, annoyed that whoever e was to meet was missing. Hide couldn't hold back his snickers as the bluenette cursed bitterly upon noticing that not only was he alone, but there were no longer any empty tables for him to sit at.

* * *

Ayato's POV:

Ayato's eyes narrowed at the blonde laughing at his misfortune, and his mouth twisted into a scowl as he stomped towards the giggling idiot. Arms crossed as he stood before the human mocking him, he snarled at the teeneager in his most menacing voice.

"What the hell are _you_ laughing at, trash?"

Large brown doe eyes blinked innocently up at him.

"Ehehe, sorry about that, you just looked so ticked, I couldn't help it, I swear! So, you got stood up too?"

Ayato growled, stalking slowly towards the weakling that dared presume _anything_ about him. Whether or not he was right was irrelevant! He had to put this shitty slab of meat in its place. As his arm reached out in an attempt to grab the moron's throat, someone came up behind him and slid him into a headlock, ruffling his hair in jest. Ayato tensed, his kagune ready to surface, only to relax as the newcomer spoke up.

"Oh, there you two are! I'm glad to see my boys getting along. How've you been, Hide? Has Yandere-chan been playing nice?"

Ayato groaned. And he was so close this time, too! How many times was Kitsune going to manage to completely derail his murder attempts, dammit! He just wanted to eradicate this nitwit of the face of the earth once and for all!


	18. Chapter 17-Family Reunions

A/N: Hey guys, I just wanted to say y'all are freaking wonderful! Enjoy and please review!

P.S.: I'm so sorry, I swear I didn't mean for it to turn out like this! Forgive me!

Chapter 17: Family Reunions

Aelin sighed as Kaneki went all Deus Ex Machina on Ayato's sorry ass, Yandere-chan being knocked about like a ping-pong ball as 'Neki let out his frustrations on the unsuspecting ghoul. She finally stepped in as Kaneki loomed over over Ayato, discussing the different possible ways to half-kill someone. Despite her irritation at the blue haired teen for getting them into this mess in the first place, she couldn't quite bring herself to allow her best friend to snap half of the bones in his body. ...yet. With a put-out groan, she shoved Kaneki away from the Yandere, crouching down beside the Ukaku, pulling him to his feet with a grimace. Kaneki stared incredulously at her for administering Ayato aid, shooting her a betrayed glare.

"Oh, don't look so upset 'Neki. I let you curb stomp his ass, did I not? Anyway, I think it's about time I introduce the two of you. Yandere-chan, this is Kaneki, who's tied for first place as my Bestest Friend in the Whole Wide World. He's a Yandere too. Kaneki, this is my… actually, I'm not exactly sure _what_ he is. Some weird mix of a psudo-bro, a student, and a freeloader. You two play nice, okay? I've got places to see and people to be."

She leapt away, her Kagune unfurling behind her to aid the ghoul as she made her way out of Aogiri and its surrounding property.

Kaneki glanced at Ayato questioningly.

"Doesn't she mean places to be and people to see?"

Ayato shook his head with a smirk.

"Nah, Kitsune always says that. When I tried questioning her on it, she pointed out that it's awfully hard to be a place."

"But that's not-"

"Try telling her that!"

Linebreak~

Aelin snickered at the befuddled face Kaneki had made at her butchered statement. Of course he would pick up on that, literature nerd that he was. Aelin slowed down as she approached a concrete bridge, an orange figure crouched on top with a pair of binoculars in hand. She landed silently behind him, and quickly wrapped her kagune around him, the tails holding him still and muffling his mouth as he shouted out in alarm. Hide began struggling, wriggling and gnawing on her kagune determinedly. Aelin let out a chuckle and spun the writhing human around, his face now inches from her mask. His eyes were blown wide with fright, and his breath puffed out in little gasps as his lungs heaved. She brought her finger in front of her mask to make a shush sign, and stepped back and loosened Hide's bonds when he nodded back frantically in agreement. A small smile touched her lips as she leaned back and tilted her head to get a good look at her panicking best friend, her humor hidden beneath the layers of ceramic preserving her identity.

"So, I heard that a itsy bitsy _human_ saw that I associate with Aogiri, and that just won't do, now will it?"

Hide shook his head desperately, a single thought running wildly through his mind. _Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!_

"WAIT! Wait, I- I swear I won't tell anyone! I promise, pinky swear! Cross-my-heart and hope to die!"

Kitsune chuckled darkly. She did oh so enjoy playing these little games with her prey, though in this case she would have to eventually let the blonde go. That didn't mean that she couldn't have a little fun in the meantime, however.

"Oh, you'll be hoping to die, alright. And not tell anyone? I should hope not. Last I checked, deadmen do have a habit of carrying their secrets to the grave. Capiche, Sunshine?"

"I- I don't- I can't- wait… Sunshine?"

Kitsune hissed under her breath. It seems she slipped up, easily falling into her old nickname for her friend.

"I suppose the charade is up." She sighed. "And I was having so much fun, too… Oh well, you can't win 'em all." With a single motion, she slid off her mask, returning it to the strap inside her jacket, securing it to her person. Her bandana was shoved into the pocket of her pants, and the hat was simply held under her arm. She looked up at the human through her lashes.

"Miss me, Hide?"

Hide stared.

Hide's POV:

When Alli-chan had joked on the phone that she was a ghoul, Hide had brushed it off. Sure, that would explain a few things, and maybe was a bit more reasonable than his previous theory that she was a vampire, but… It was Alli-chan. She had never hurt him, and she was a giant softie for kids, and whined for hours whenever she so much as stubbed her toe! So he had ignored it, decided that she was making a joke in bad taste, and chalked up her knowledge of what he was doing as just her usual omniscience of all things related to him or 'Neki (further proof for his other theory, that she was instead an all knowing demoness come from the depths of Hell to seduce him. Yes, he was a college student with too much time on his hands, so sue him. A little imagination never hurt anybody!). When he saw that same ghoul, the one Alli had claimed was her, hunted him down, the little voice at the back of his head insisted that it was _her_ , that she hadn't been kidding, that she was a monster, a liar, a killer. Hide once more squashed that little voice, refusing to acknowledge it. Because maybe Alli-chan was weird, and rude, and rough, but she would _never_ hurt him, would _never_ threaten him. _Except she was_. So he found it perfectly reasonable that his go-to thought was that things didn't line up. And could you really blame him for his thought-to-mouth filter being a little out of whack at the moment? He had thought he was going to be eaten, for god's sake. But at the end of the day, all that really mattered was that he messed up, **big time**.

"You can't be my best friend! She's not a murdering, traitorous, amoral **monster**!"

Yeah, he dun' goofed. And he had _no_ idea how to fix it.

She recoiled. Flinched. Eyes filled with tears. Rivers of sorrow carved their way down her face. He held out his hand, in a plea for her to wait, come back. He didn't mean it, it was a mistake, he swears he doesn't care, she's the same person she always was, she-

-She was gone. And she wasn't coming back.

And for the first time in thirteen years, Nagachika Hideyoshi was alone. Friendless. Abandoned. Forgotten. And he hated every moment of it.


	19. Chapter 18-Fallout

A/N: I'm so sorry, I hate that this story took such an angsty turn but now I can't just change it! Also I realized a whole lot of nothing happened in this chapter, so I added an omake to make up for it. D: Forgive me!

 **Chapter 18: Fallout**

She finally stopped running, lost in the urban maze. Aelin pulled her knees close to her chest, eyes swollen, lungs heaving. She inhaled, a deep, shuddering breath, then crumpled, curling in on herself even more and lost herself in thought as broken sobs rang out. _My fault. I slipped. He hates me. I shouldn't have gone after him while I was still on the high of fighting. I should have done better. I shouldn't have… I- I don't- He's gone and it's all my fault he hates me li_ _ **ar**_ _mo_ _ **ns**_ _ter m_ _ur_ _ **der**_ _er k_ _ **ill**_ _er_ _ **de**_ _ **m**_ _on_ _-_ She tensed when she felt a hand touch her back, and her kagune reacted, ensnaring the intruder. Twisting to look over her shoulder, Aelin winced as she realized she had just bound Ayato from head to toe. Pulling back her Bikaku with an apology on her tongue, she returned to her seat on the ground, her back turned to the teen. Ayato hesitantly approached her once more, his face twisted into a harsh scowl.

"Kitsune? The hell is up with you? You look like a goddamn kicked puppy! Seriously, the fuck is wrong?"

Aelin looked up at him, swiping halfheartedly at her eyes.

"Shut up. I'm fine. Just go and leave me alone."

Ayato let out a disbelieving snort.

"Fine, huh? Sure doesn't look like it. So, you gonna tell me what the hell crawled up your ass and died, or am I just gonna have to sit here and guess?"

Ayato's POV:

Kitsune looked up at him, eyes blazing and teeth bared. "I said, leave. Me. ALONE!" Her kagune lashed out, whipping through the air wildly in response to her anger. With a twist, the tails jetted over her shoulder, stabbing at Ayato in blind rage. Ayato's eyes widened as the Bikaku rocketed towards him, loud swears exiting his lips as he dodged the swiping kagune. "Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh- FUCK! What the hell was that for, Kitsune? Have you gone fucking nuts?" He groaned as he failed to move away in time to escape a harsh blow to the chest, sending the teen crashing into a wall as the breath fled his lungs. Ayato looked down at his torso in confusion as he noticed the lack of blood on his shirt. Despite the chance given by his misstep, it seemed the flailing limbs simply flung him rather than piercing him through or drawing blood. Rolling his eyes, Ayato pulled himself to his feet, muttering under his breath to himself. "She's fucking with me! ...Then again, of course she is, when the hell isn't she?" He spoke up, catching Kitsune's attention. "Well if you're gonna be a damn bitch about it, fine! You know I'm always in the mood for a good fight!" From his back, the dark flickering flames of his Kagune bloomed, extending into winglike shapes, ethereal and burning. Crystals blossomed across the surface, ready to be released at a moments notice. Ayato slid his left foot back and put his fists up, a determined glint alight in his eye.

Aelin's POV:

 _Is he going to get back up, or- oh, no, nevermind, there he goes._ Aelin shook her head with a fond smile at the other's stubbornness, and let her Kagune flare out behind her as she prepared to attack once more. She chuckled softly, her previous worries slipping her mind in the heat of the moment. Dashing forward, she ducked beneath the incoming projectiles, nimbly weaving between the countless crystal shards jetting towards her. With a wild grin, she used her bikaku to fling her body into the air, twisting to dodge Ayato's dogged assault. Landing roughly on the balls of her feet, Aelin dove back into the fray, unrestrained laughter bubbling in her chest as she thought to herself, _This? This is living._

Omake: How I Met Your Human

Ayato stalked across the rooftops of Tokyo, scanning the dark alleyways for anyone still wandering the streets despite the dark sky. Out of the corner of his eye, Ayato noticed a young human casually strolling the streets, dressed in obnoxiously bright clothes and headphones over his ears. A sly smirk crept cross the ghoul's face. Not only was there no chance of his prey hearing him, he would even be doing humanity a favor by disposing of such a badly dressed moron! Seriously, what kind of idiot strolls through Tokyo's ghettos in neon orange and green? Ayato let his RC cells darken his eyes as he leapt down from the roofs, landing behind the teen with barely a sound. Right as he reached towards his prey's neck, footsteps sounded at the other end of the alley. Strolling towards him and the human was Kitsune. Ayato froze, worried for a second that he might have encroached on her territory, only to relax as he noticed she was maskless. No business with him, then. She pulled her hands out of her pockets and waved heartily at the two boys, her face split by a fierce grin.

"Oh, Ayato, it seems like you've met one of my best friends. Hide, this is Ayato, he's an asshole, but he's my asshole, so be nice, 'kay? Imma go bother Kaneki now, cya losers!"

Ayato groaned. Ugh, not only does he have to deal with this walking highlighter masquerading as a human being, he's _still_ fucking hungry!


	20. Chapter 19-Kisstake

A/N: Sorry for the delay, I had some trouble trying to figure out how to pick up the mood without it seeming like Aelin is magically over everything, and I wanted to go back and rewrite some of the earlier chapters, since my writing has improved a bit since I first started this story.. Also, this story will be following the manga, because I despise root A squared. After this chapter this becomes a lot more apparent, so if your lost on what's happening I recommend checking out the manga. Question, am I the only one who wonders how being tortured magically teaches Kaneki how to fight well? If anything, his reflexes would be worse from days without training, and pain doesn't show you how to fight… Thanks to all the new followers since my last update, and enjoy! (Also please review, it means the world to me!)

Chapter 19: Kisstake

Ayato's POV:

Ayato and Aelin lay flopped on their backs in the dirt, slightly out of breath from the constant sparring. With a tired grin, Aelin turned on her side to smirk at the out of breath teen.

"You're getting better Ayato. Still a fucking embarrassment to me since you got your ass kicked by _Kaneki_ of all people, but there is improvement. I'm sure you'll be lean, mean, fighting machine in no time! Hell, you already got the mean part down, and you're thin as a twig, so I guess that qualifies as lean. Now you just gotta pull your head out from your ass and you might even be a half decent fighter!"

Ayato scoffed, rolling his eyes at the snickering teen.

"Ha, ha, ha. Laugh it up. You'll be singing a different tune when I whoop your ass someday!"

Aelin snorted. "When pigs fly, Ayato. Not a chance in hell you'll beat me anytime soon. I'm not exactly slacking off myself, you know?"

"Yeah yeah, just you wait."

"Oh, and Ayato?"

"Hmm?" He turned over on his side to face the suddenly anxious ghoul. "What's up?"

"Just… Thanks. For being here and putting up with my shit. I owe you."

Ayato's eyes widened at his companion's words, taken aback by her unexpected admission. He sat up and crossed his arms with a sharp "Tch", looking away from Kitsune in an attempt to hide the light blush staining his cheeks. "Whatever. It's not like you haven't done the same for me more times than I can count. So let's just call it even, 'kay?"

Smiling softly at the bluenette, Aelin pulled herself to her feet and dusted off her jeans in a half hearted attempt to tidy herself. Aelin beamed brightly as an idea came to her, and the girl gave up at fixing her clothes in favor of sending Ayato a manic grin.

"Now let's blow this popsicle stand and go mess some shit up, I'm _bored_!"

With a groan, Ayato pulled himself up from the ground, shaking his head in exasperation as Aelin took off towards Anteiku. "Damn it Kitsune," he muttered under his breath. "I'm really not in the mood for _another_ reunion with my shitty sister." Despite his words, the ghoul chased after his fleet-footed companion, not eager to be left behind.

Aelin's POV:

Aelin strode into the entrance of Anteiku with Ayato hot on her heels, ready to start sassing her half-ghoul friend. Glancing around, she frowned when Kaneki failed to fall within her line of sight. "Do you think he's in the back?" She asked Ayato with a furrow in her brow.

Ayato groaned. "How the hell am I supposed to know? I'm a ghoul, not a fucking GPS!"

She blinked, giving a shrug of her shoulders in response. Aelin whipped around upon hearing footsteps echoing from behind her, a smirk stretching across her face. She leapt at the newcomer, planting a sloppy kiss wetly on their cheek with a loud "Mwah~".

"Kaneki, there you are! We were looking all over for- for… you?" A befuddled expression painted her features as Aelin took a step back to get a better look at her unfortunate quarry, only to freeze in horror. In the background, there was a loud thump as Ayato crashed to the ground, clutching his stomach and guffawing without restraint.

The teen suppressed his snickers for a moment to quip with a tilt to his lips, "Wow Kitsune, I didn't know that you-", Ayato broke off into cackles anew, "that you swung that way! Bwah-ha-ha, this is fucking priceless!" At those words he collapsed to the floor, once more overcome with laughter.

In front of the two teens, looking distinctly unamused with her nose wrinkled in disgust, stood Kirishima Touka.

A/N: The kiss she intended to give Kaneki was _not_ a romantic one, and it shouldn't be taken as such. It was the kind you would give a little brother to make them whine about how gross kisses are. Aelin sees Kaneki as a little brother, and nothing more. So sorry for those who were looking forward to such a ship, but it shall never set sail. I really don't intend for there to be much, if any, romance in this story, though I might leave little hints here and there that can be taken as platonic or romantic (Ex: When Alli-chan cuddles with Hide on the couch early on in the story).


End file.
